Gone Viral
by Panda Puffin
Summary: Donna and the Doctor have crashlanded on an island that is, much to the Doctor's disapointment, nowhere near inhabited as Hawaii. Of course, the TARDIS will be up and running in 72 hours. But what happens when the Doctor catches a very deadly virus thats been on the TARDIS for centuries, and refuses to tell Donna?
1. 7

**A/N: An idea I've had stuck in my head for a while, and finally put it down into words. :) I hope you enjoy this first chapter. The chapters may or may not become longer, I'm not sure. Reviews are always welcome!**

"You just can't fly her properly, can you? How much practice have you had? Centuries! Of course, you can't fly her for five seconds without loosing control and crashing! Five seconds! That's all I ask! But, oh, no! 'It'll be fun!' You said! 'Let's pick a random destination!' you said! And look where it got us! Smacked into a coconut tree who knows where! Sand _everywhere_!"

The Doctor sighed as he listened to Donna's speech, watched her stomp around, flicking the tiny grains of sand out of her flip-flops. "It's a beach, Donna. There's _bound _to be sand. I'd be worried if there wasn't." What Donna said was true. He had crashed in a coconut tree due to his rather reckless driving, but he'd only been trying to add a bit of fun to the job. The TARDIS was broken, not dead, but broken. At first, he'd thought that they'd crashed in Hawaii, which would have been lovely, but no. This island, wherever it was, was uninhabited, with a big scary volcano farther inland.

"_Obviously_." Donna huffed, standing on her tiptoes to look around. With a sigh, she whipped around to face him. "_Why _can't you fly normal for _once_?"

The Doctor tugged at his earlobe, staring at her. He couldn't really answer. "Oh, come on!" He encouraged, grinning. "It'll be fun!"

Donna glared crossly at him. "That's what you said _last time_, Spaceman."

The Doctor nodded slowly, feeling slightly embarrassed. Donna rolled her eyes, stomping forward again. The Doctor hurried after her, catching her as she tripped over something. She steadied herself, pushing him away and wrapping her arms around her.

"We need to find shelter." She muttered, rubbing her bare arms. She wore jeans and a short-sleeved red top, her hair pulled up into a ponytail, despite his protests. He liked her hair down, it was pretty. "Its bloody _freezing_."

XXX

The Doctor stared up at the cavern that Donna had spotted only moments before. The entrance was tiny, you had to crawl to fit into it, and that was only if you could get inside without getting scared by the sharp thorns that poked at the entrance. However, inside was a large cave, big enough to fit at least ten people, if you wished to. Vines crawled flooring, sunlight streamed through smallish cracks in the ceiling. However, there was enough sunlight in the cave to light the whole cave. Donna was already scrabbling at the thorn-less vines, probably to make bedding.

She sent another glare at the Doctor, gesturing towards the vines. "Well don't just stand there! Make yourself useful!"

The Doctor nodded, rather nervously, and tore at the vines placing them in a pile in the middle of the flooring.

"Thing is, I don't understand why we can't just leave with the TARDIS." Donna commented, all anger forgotten. She dropped the large bundle of vines and a grass on the pile the Doctor had created.

"She just needs time to repair herself, Donna. She'll be up and running in about seventy-two hours." He promised, rolling up the sleeves to the pinstriped suit.

"But what damage was done in the first place, with your terrible flying?"

"It was an off day!" He whined, shaking his head. "I just broke a few buttons… and snapped a few wires."

"See." Donna muttered. "Terrible flying."

The Doctor sighed in defeat, kicking at the pile. A few vines and grass scattered, and with a groan, Donna stared to form them into makeshift beds. "You're the Oncoming Storm." Donna glared at him again. "Go get firewood or something."

Nodding absently, the Doctor crawled back out of the cave, brushing off his pants as he stood up again. The sun had reached the water, making it glimmer with orange and pink, mixed in with its natural blue. The Doctor smiled, stopping for a few seconds to admire it, before going off to gather twigs and other things they'd need in the future.

Eventually, he'd gathered twigs, bark, leaves to soften the beds, sticks, rocks, and a few other things that had been stuffed carelessly into his bigger on the inside, pockets. He carried the twigs, uncomfortable with the thought losing them after his hard search. The sun was down completely, stars glittering in the sky, but the moon at been covered by the dark clouds, making it harder to see. He jumped nervously from big rock to big rock, trying to avoid plummeting into the river below. His foot touched grass, and he sighed in relief, only to lose his balance. The twigs went flying onto dry ground, while he, on the other hand, landed in the river, the fast running water soaking his clothing.

The Doctor shivered, gritting his teeth as he climbed to his feet, scrambling out again and stumbling over to the twigs. He gathered them into his arms again, starting back towards the cave, passing the TARDIS on the way. She looked beaten and worn, but when he stopped to lean against her, he could feel the warm hum, even from outside. He smiled, and hopped playfully back over to the cave, only to stop outside, his smile fading. A numb feeling had spread through his body, his head buzzing and ears ringing. The small sounds of crickets and other animals started to echo around him, becoming louder until his ears were aching from the sound. He gritted his teeth, gripping the twigs in his arms tighter, until finally, it all stopped, just like that. His eyes snapped open, wide and unsure. Everything was normal again.

There had been something a bit too familiar about it, but he couldn't quite place what.

"Doctor?" Donna's voice rang in his ears, and he jumped from the unexpected loud sound. Shaking his head to clear it, the Doctor smiled again.

"Yeah, I'm coming!"


	2. 6

**A/N: I always forget the disclaimer! I do not own Doctor Who, or its characters. **

** Has anybody reading this every played Lost in Blue (Shipwrecked)? Imagine the island that the Doctor and Donna are on looking similarish to the island that… what was her name? The main girl, with Max the dog, washed up on. (:**

** I may have broken my little toe tripping over a chair... yeah, a chair. But here's the upside! I won't have to participate in Gym! :D  
**

** Thanks to all who favorited/followed/reviewed! ^_^  
**

Donna's eyes flickered open, the fire casting shadows. The clouds that had covered the moon earlier had disappeared, moonlight lighting the world outside of the small cave. It was probably early in the morning, too early to get up and move around for Donna. She had always been one to sleep in. The Doctor hated that. She smiled at the memories of the Doctor, jumping on her bed to get her to wake up, tugging the covers off her and speaking a mile a minute, talking about where they would be going next, what they would be doing. Donna flipped over in the makeshift bed, staring at the Doctor. His breathing was even, his hair falling into his eyes. He looked like a little boy. Donna smiled as he tightened into a ball, taking a deep breath in his sleep.

It was odd, Donna realised. This was the first time she'd ever actually seen the Doctor sleeping. She knew he slept, though it wasn't very often, but she'd never actually been able to catch a glimpse of the Time Lord asleep. He looked peaceful in his sleep. Like all his burdens had been washed away. He looked… like a regular human.

With a sigh, Donna sat up, rubbing her eye. There wasn't a way she was going to get back to sleep right now. She might as well get started on the long day ahead of her. Crawling out of the cave, she hopped down to the river, fixing her hair back up into a ponytail after combing through it with her hand. She longed for a comb, but the Doctor had locked up the TARDIS, telling her that going inside would affect how long it took for Her recovery.

Donna cupped her hands, taking a sip of the cold water. She smirked, remembering the Doctor coming inside the cave, dripping wet. It had taken hours for her to stop laughing. Shaking her head, Donna stood up again, rolling her shoulders. In the distance, the sun was just beginning to rise, birds chirping their song, and a few other animals crawling about. It was colder than the day before. Not much, but still noticeably colder. The grass had a very soft layer of frost covering it, making it clear that winter was approaching. Nothing, however, proved this place to be Earth. Donna jumped from rock to rock, scanning the beach for coconuts and crabs, anything that would brighten a day's meal.

XXX

Donna spoke to herself, counting the different types of food she'd picked up along the way. "Goose berries, clams, coconuts, blue berries… this _must_ be Earth." She decided, double-checking over what she had said. She snacked on a few berries on the way back, the flavor bursting in her mouth like soda.

She cautiously placed some of the berries and clams inside her pockets and rolled the coconuts inside, crawling in quickly after them. The sun was halfway to the middle of the sky. She expected the Doctor to be awake, maybe adding twigs to the fire. Only, there he was, curled up. Donna froze as she glanced at him again. His whole body was shaking, coughs suddenly bursting from him. His forehead was dripping with sweat, hair clinging to his skin. He was whispering something, though he was still sleeping. Donna raced towards him.

"Doctor!" She hissed, giving his shoulder a rough shake. Instantly, his eyes shot open, pupils dilated with fear. He wasn't shaking anymore, but he was still coughing, though they seemed to be getting quieter, until they just stopped altogether. His eyes darted about nervously, as if he couldn't quite remember where he was.

"Hey, its me! Its okay, you're safe." Donna whispered, tilting her head. His eyes locked with hers, still wide and uncertain. She gave him an encouraging smile, and he relaxed with a sigh.

"What was that?" She finally asked after he had sat up, eyes closed. He looked as though he was trying to remember something, something important. "We're on the island." Donna reminded him gently.

"I know." He snapped, and then let out a long sigh. "Sorry. It was just a dream." He shrugged. Donna frowned, but didn't question him.

"Anyways." Donna muttered, changing the subject. "I found some berries. Want some?"

The Doctor nodded eagerly. Donna pulled them from her pocket, popping a few into her mouth, and then some into the Doctors open hand. He grinned, popping them into his mouth. He let out a hum, which sounded a lot like a purr, and scooted up against the cold cave wall.

"See? This isn't that bad!" He chirped between berries. His hair was a complete mess, and still damp from sweat. His eyes dropped slightly, making him look sleepy. Otherwise, he looked fine.

"Yeah." Donna agreed. "Except I look like crap." She whined, pointing at her messy hair. Silence filled the room for a few seconds.

"Donna…" The Doctor said slowly. Donna tensed, afraid there was something behind her. An alien, perhaps. Or, worse, maybe a spider.

"What?" She squeaked, not daring to look behind her. A smile broke out of the Doctors lips.

"Your hair looks fine."

Donna groaned. "You idiot! You scared me!" She snapped, ignoring the boyish grin the Doctor shot her. He threw the last berry into his mouth and stood up, brushing the dirt off his pants, and walking over to Donna.

"Come on!" He chirped, linking arms with her. "Allons-y!"

XXX

"We're lost, admit it Spaceman!" Donna groaned, brushing her bangs out of her face. The sun had risen completely, and it had become scorching hot, probably due to the two suns in the sky. This was definitely not Earth. Uninhabited, maybe, but for once, that made it so much worse. She would do anything to see somebody, even if they had tentacles, six eyes, forty legs, or whatever other deformation that could possibly happen. The Doctor sighed, moving a giant leaf out of his face.

"No, we're not. We're just… misplaced." He suggested, jumping nervously across a small, but deep, trench. Donna followed, paying close attention to her distance.

"Yeah. That helps. _Thanks_ for _nothing_, Time Boy!"

The Doctor sighed again, raising a finger and pointing out towards the ocean, and a beach that definitely didn't look familiar. "How about you see if there's anything to eat down there, OK?"

Donna huffed and crawled down onto the sandy beach, muttering angrily under her breath. The sand on the particular beach was an orange-red, with specks of yellow buried into it. There were coconut trees and a few banana trees here and there. Thank _God_ that at least the foods were human. The banana trees swooped low to the ground, low enough to collect at least six of the yellow fruits.

Climbing back up to the Doctor, she rested the fruit on the ground and looked up to see the Doctor had fallen asleep. Donna smirked; amused by the position he was in. She knew very well that he got bored very quickly, and he seemed to have done so now. His legs were propped up on a rock, his body twisting sideways at his waist so he could rest his head on his hands.

It was difficult not to laugh at. Donna crept forward, poking the Doctor with one of the bananas. Instantly, his eyes snapped open and lit up.

"Where did you get _those_!" He gasped, snatching the one from Donnas grip and immediately starting to peel of the yellow skin and stuffing it in his mouth. Donna smirked in amusement, peeling her own banana.

"They were on the beach." She laughed. To Donna's surprise, the Doctor had already devoured four of the bananas. "Careful, don't eat too fast, or you'll be-"

As if on cue, the Doctor turned slightly pale, and he scrambled to the edge of the cliff, squeezing his eyes shut.

" sick." Donna finished, rolling her eyes. He groaned and wiped his mouth in distaste. She was surprised with the look on his face and he leaned back onto his knees. The entire colour had been drained from his face, and he kept opening and closing his mouth as though it had become dry. His eyes were narrowed, and finally, his jaw dropped as something dawned on him. She stood up, along with the Doctor. He was completely quiet, staring at the ground, as they continued to search for their makeshift home.


	3. 5

**A/N: Shorter chapter. Sorry. D:**

He should tell her. He knew he should. It would be dangerous not to. But what would Donna think of him? The mighty Doctor, the Oncoming Storm, sick from a virus. Something humans got all the time. Except it wasn't just a virus. In fact, it should have been impossible. But then, nothing was impossible, that's why he loved the word. But this time, he would have much preferred if it really had been impossible, if it hadn't even happened.

The Doctor had been quiet the entire way back. After looking for several more hours, he'd found the passage they'd used the first time round. The two suns were setting completely, adding colour to his pale face.

Donna's voice made him jump. She sounded tired and angry, the few bananas they had kept swinging from her hands. "Are you OK?"

He forced a smile on his lips. "Molto bene! Never been better." Donna gave a disbelieving snort, but dismissed it, crawling into the cave, quickly followed by the Doctor. Donna already had something cooking over the somehow still burning fire, paying very close attention, as though it were the most difficult thing in the world. Maybe it was.

The Doctor smiled, tilting his head as he watched, walking slowly over to his bed, but didn't sit down.

"Coconuts?"

Donna shrugged. "Could have been griddled puffins."

The Doctor snorted. "_Griddled puffins_? On a Friday?"

Donna giggled, motioning for him to sit down. He obeyed, letting out a loud cough, followed by a sneeze. Donna looked startled.

"Allergies." He lied quickly. Donna's eyes narrowed, her disbelief clear. Donna _really_ could be stubborn at the worst of times.

"Do Time Lords have allergies?"

"We're not _that_ different, Donna." He protested, watching dizzily as she turned the coconut on a stick. His head was pounding, his fingers numb. Again, he was reminded what was wrong. Reminded that he should tell Donna… but the thought made him feel sicker then he already did. Donna smiled at him brightly. He started at her for a few seconds, cocking his head. After a few moments, Donna sighed.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, just… could you let your hair down?"

"_Why?!_" Donna hissed in exasperation, feeling the back of her hair. The Doctor stared at her blankly. He could tell the truth. Tell it and mean it. But she could hit him. Or, he could lie, and never be able to say it. Finally, he smiled.

"Because its pretty down." He admitted. Donna looked like she was trying to decide whether to slap him, or take it down. The Doctor thought over his words nervously, and quickly tried to correct himself, stuttering over his words.

"I-I mean it looks lovely up to! I just, I mean, I guess I like it b-better, I-I mean… oh, forget it." The Doctor sighed, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. For the next few moments, Donna was silent. But slowly, a smile spread across her lips.

"Its cute when you stutter." She decided aloud, and reached up to take her hair down. The Doctor smiled, leaning back, supporting himself with his elbows.

"Of course it is." He agreed, pointing to his face. "Who wouldn't love a face like this?"

Donna glared at him, a warning. He just laughed, and pointed at the coconut. "Think its black enough?" He asked. Donna jumped, and quickly took off the coconut, blowing on it. It had been burnt on the whole top layer, black bits falling off. "Lovely." He added, taking the stick the coconut was stuck on and plucking one off. Smiling, he brushed off the burnt pieces, and popped it in his mouth. Donna looked particularly disgusted that he'd eaten a burnt piece of coconut, but she popped her own piece into her mouth, and grinned.

"Its actually not that bad." She concluded, running a hand through her ginger hair. The Doctor nodded in agreement, and lay down on his bed, closing his eyes.

"Goodnight, Donna." He whispered, but loud enough for her to hear. Shuffling suggested Donna had laid down as well.

"Goodnight, Spaceman."

XXX

The stars glittered overhead again now, the moonlight mixing in with the fire. The Doctor still hadn't fallen asleep, and was now staring up as the caves ceiling, watching the smoke seep through the cracks. Two days. In two days they could leave. Two days from now, he could look for a cure. He winced on the ground as he was washed with memories from Gallifrey. He was reminded particularly of one of his sisters. She hadn't lived for more than four days, but she had been weak and young. He barely remembered anything else about her; she hadn't lived long enough for him to get to know her. He barley spoke about her, barely even thought about her. But he was the Doctor. He could survive… couldn't he?

It was a family thing, some virus you got when you were older, and very rarely, when you were a child. A week. That's usually how long you lived. It was… like cancer, in a human's case. There wasn't a name for it. It was a death sentence. Nobody bothered making a real, purposely made cure, because it was just that bad… just that deadly. You started out like normal, chipper and all that. But then it was just a wave of sickness. You had headaches, you were sick, you coughed until you couldn't breathe, your body had waves of numbness, and eventually, you just died. Just like that. But, again, he was the Doctor. He'd lived through things that were unimaginable to most creatures in the universe.

The Doctor desperately tried to remember other symptoms. Personality change, small memory loss… he couldn't quite remember anything else. With a depressed sigh, and sad look at Donna, he closed his eyes and drifted to sleep.


	4. 4

Donna stared at the TARDIS, running her hands sadly along her. Her eyes were filled with tears, which streaked her face, eyes puffy and red. She could feel the agreeing hum of the TARDIS, and imagined that She was crying as well. Crying for their lose.

"Why?" She choked out, rubbing the dark blue wood in an attempt to find comfort. She was stranded on an island, the only human. What if there were aliens? "How could he have been so stupid?" She cried, resting her head against the TARDIS. Her eyes flickered over to the hole in the ground, freshly dug and waiting to have to be filled. But the duty horrified her.

"What are you going on about now?"

Donna glared at the Doctor, rolling her eyes. "I _need_ hair products! And you were stupid enough to strand us on an island!" She snapped, leaning away from the TARDIS. Groggily, the Doctor stumbled towards the river and landed with a thud, cupping his hands to take a sip of the sweet water. He almost tripped over the hole, which had been dug to create a trap for animals.

Sighing, Donna shook her head. He didn't seem to be getting enough sleep. Not that he did anyway, but the way he stared at her half the time, like he'd rather be in bed sleeping made her wonder what he did at night. "Anyway," she muttered, turning around and digging through the bushes, carefully avoiding the thorns. They'd both agreed that this was the best place to store food. Carefully, Donna lifted out two bananas, and turned to the Doctor whose eyes instantly lit up, as if he'd just found out that there was more then just walking to do on the tiny island. Earlier in the morning, they'd explored a bit more, only to realise that they'd ended up going in circles for several hours, and that the island was no larger then about three mansions put together, which might sound big, but in reality was quite small, for an island anyway.

"Bananas for breakfast?" The Doctor chirped happily, staggering to his feet. Donna shook her head teasingly.

"Nope. Sorry, these are for the monkeys. They are just _so _adorable!"

"You, Donna Noble, are a cruel woman." He grumped, crossing his arms. Donna giggled, and handed him one of the yellow fruits. He took it quickly and had eaten it before Donna had even peeled hers.

"What are we doing today?" She asked after she'd eaten her own banana. The Doctor smiled and opened his mouth, obviously having an answer at the top of his head, but slowly, his smile faded into a confused look.

"Sorry, what?"

"I asked what we're doing today?"

"No you didn't."

"Yes I did!"

The Doctor was silent for a few moments, looking as if he was trying to concentrate hard on something. "Ah… okay then… well, we should…"

For once, the Doctor was quiet, pursing his lips as he tried to remember. Donna stared at him in obvious disbelief. "You _are_ joking, right?"

"_Shhh." _He muttered. Donna listened, but heard only the familiar chirp of birds and crash of waves against the sharp rocks. Every once in a while, there'd be a splash, a flying fish jumping out of the water and landing back in. The breeze ruffling the leaves, a branch falling every so often. But nothing dangerous. Nothing that suggested they needed to run and hide. They were ordinary sounds, sounds you could hear back on Earth.

"What is it?" She finally whispered, caution propelling her voice down to a sound that was barely audible. The Doctor's head snapped toward her. He looked surprised and confused.

"What's what?" He asked, a hell of a lot louder then her own voice. Donna rolled her eyes.

"I don't know! You tell me!"

The Doctor shrugged, running a hand through his hair. "Anyway, I was thinking we could go down to the Red Beach. We can try to pick the entire lot of seaweed! Or…" The Doctor frowned. "No, hold on… that's in China. Sorry." He shook his head, regretful. "Sorry, I've got no clue what to do."

Donna sighed, shaking her head slowly. He seemed so lost these days, so unlike him. When he was himself, he looked as if he had to concentrate to do so. "Doctor," Donna said slowly, watching as he turned to look at her. "Are you OK?"

The Doctor frowned, shocked by her inquiry. "Of course. I'm always OK." He smiled, and turned away again. Donna didn't know if she should tell him off and force him to say what was on his mind. In fact, she would have, but something stopped her. An awful feeling in the pit of her stomach. She felt as though she'd known the feeling before, but she couldn't quite place it. She let it go and watched as the Doctor hopped from one large rock to another, and finally, onto land. He settled on the ground, dangling his toes into the river.

It wasn't too long of a drop, but the river was shallow and the rocks beneath were sharp. Donna hoped he didn't fall in. Not that he would, but he had been acting so odd lately, she couldn't keep her eyes off him for a second; afraid he'd be spacing off again and hurt himself.

Sighing, Donna followed him. If they were going to sit around all day, they might as well stick together. She settled by his side, closing her eyes and listened to the sounds. To her surprise, the Doctor stiffened beside her. Her eyes flew open to see he was gritting his teeth, cursing under his breath.

"What's wrong?" Donna gasped, sitting upright.

"Nothing." He hissed. Donna's eyes narrowed, and she continued to watch the Doctor. His face grew pale and he jumped upright, a hand on his stomach. His breathing had grown rough, as though he was in pain.

"You're _not_ all right, Doctor. What is wrong?"

"Nothing." He said again, closing his eyes and trying to relax. "I don't think that banana was very good. Its making my stomach feel a bit sick."

"That's not nothing."

"Its close to nothing." He protested, glaring at her. A shiver ran down Donna's back at his glare. He didn't look like him. He looked almost rather evil. Wincing, she imagined his eyes a blood red, and instantly regretted it. Shaking off the image, she narrowed her eyes.

"But how do you know it was the banana?"

"I just do."

"But you can't possible know that for sure!"

"Donna-"

"No, -"

"Listen to me Donna, and _shut up_. I just _know_." The Doctor spat, jumping to his feet and storming off. Donna felt sick as she watched him leave, hands stuffed into his pockets. She'd never heard him talk like that before. With a voice so cold, it didn't fit his features. His face pale, teeth gritted. She wanted to go after him, to stop him, but something held her back, once again. With a sigh, Donna stood up and walked back to the cave, her head hung. He'd be back sooner or later…. Wouldn't he?

XXX

Donna turned the dead bird over the fire, distracted. She'd found the bird freshly dead, but with no signs of how it had died. She could only hope that it hadn't had some kind of disease. Still, that wasn't what she was thinking about. The Doctor still hadn't come back, even after about six hours. Was he OK? What if something had gotten him? Or, maybe he'd tripped and broken a leg.

She shook her head roughly. This was the Doctor she was thinking about. Not and idiot. Well, no, he was an idiot, but he was a clever idiot. He would be able to get himself out of any situation, no doubt. But after six hours, your nerves _did_ start to increase. Still, he'd probably come back in the night and fall asleep, forgetting to tell her of his coming back. Then he'd say he was sorry in the morning, when they could leave. Because that was what the Doctor was like. And no matter how lonely, how frustrated the Doctor could get, he would always be the Doctor, which was a problem. And not just because the Doctor got into danger, a _lot_. But because his pride often got the better of him.

**A/N: Saw a picture of the Red Beach in China and fell in love. (: It was beautiful! Also, a "friend" pointed out I needed make a disclaimer, which is below.**

** (The Doctor snorted. "Griddled puffins? On a Friday?") The words said by the Doctor in this chapter are owned by whoever wrote "The Decoy Bride", which, by the way, is a ****_fantastic_**** movie, that I highly suggest if you are a David Tennant lover, much like myself. (: **


	5. 3

Donna stared at her reflection in the ocean water, the waves disorienting it.. The clouds hid the sun, making the island a cold, slightly freaky place to be at. She grabbed one of the rocks, throwing it across the water, her reflection scattering like broken glass. She grabbed one of the apples beside her, taking a bite and spitting it out at the sour taste.

"Ew." She muttered quietly, brushing her greasy hair out of her face. Slowly, Donna stood up, kicking the apples into the water and walking back slowly, lost in thought. She looked up to see the familiar blue shade of the TARDIS leaning against the stonewall, the light at the top flickering on; a signal that She had repaired Herself completely. Leaning against the TARDIS, Donna let out a long, sad sigh, closing her eyes and whispering to herself under her breath. The day had been eerily quite, not even the sound of creatures creeping through the trees and many shrubs that surrounded the place.

The soft hum of the TARDIS echoed around the large stonewalls, audible even from the outside. Its blue wood was damp from the rain that had fallen previously at dawn; the clouds still a dark shade of grey, suggesting more rain to come. To be completely honest, Donna wasn't sure if she should be worried, or angry. He still wasn't back. The Doctor still wasn't back from the previous day. After waking up, Donna had gone on a short search for the Timelord, but hadn't gone any further than the hill that led to the rest of the island in fear of getting lost again, even if the island was tiny. Though she wouldn't really admit it out loud, Donna did have a tendency to get lost, even if it was because of her own stupidity of staying up late, or not paying attention to where she walked or drove. The Doctor, as far as Donna knew, had a spectacular sense of where he was at all times, so certainly he couldn't have gotten lost… right?

Without him, sleeping in the cave had felt unusually lonely, almost scary. The cave had been filled with only her own breathing and the crackling of the fire. She hated to admit that she'd missed the muttering he did under his breath while he suspected her to be asleep.

Donna sighed, and turned around, stuffing her hands in the pockets of her jeans. She'd have to go look for him. He wasn't coming back by himself, that much was plainly obvious. She stumbled back towards the hill, staring at the ground. For all she knew, there might be footsteps, or some kind of clue as to where the Doctor had gone off to on his rampage. But, as Donna continued walking, she saw nothing of the Doctor, which did nothing to help the cold dread that was slowing forming in her stomach. An awful silence hung in the air, swirling around Donna like wisps of fog as she quickened her pace, eyes darting for a flash of brown. Thunder crackled overhead; quickly followed by a bright, almost green strike of lightning that struck the island somewhere.

Her eyes welled slightly with salty tears, her hands covering her ears. She had never been fond of thunder all that much. She wasn't quite _scared_ of it, but the sudden force and the shaking always had her jumping and running for cover wherever she could find. But on a deserted island, Donna was unsure where to go. She'd felt the here rain before. It was cold, much colder than the rain on Earth, colder than the Ood planet even. Neither of them, The Doctor or Donna, would be able to stay alive in the rain all that long. She was only lucky that it had rained for only a few minutes the night before.

She stumbled nervously into a small passageway, the sandy coloured walls towering over her. She darted into the woods, not wanting to stay put for too long, mostly in fear of becoming drenched by the freezing water. Shadows covered the enitre area around her, making her feel alone and trapped.

Shaking it off, Donna scanned the green trees, trying to breathe properly. She winced as a cold splash of rain dripped onto her arm, leaving a faint burning feeling on her warm skin. She edged forward, placing a hand on a tree trunk to steady herself as she lost her footing. The colour had almost seemed to fade from the forest when Donna glanced up again, replaced by a nerve racking grey.

"Where are you, Doctor…?" Donna whimpered, closing her eyes, and jumping as another crash sounded above. The lightening blinded Donna, making her stumble away from the tree. Donna blinked and winced as the rain came crashing down, searing her skin. _Maybe…._ Donna thought, turning back around the colour drained slightly from her face. _Maybe he's back in the TARDIS._

XXX

Donna sprinted back towards the TARDIS, the rain tearing at her aching skin. She slipped, tumbling down the hill. Groaning, she quickly stumbed to her feet and shook off the mud that covered her clothing. Her skin had reddened after only two minutes after the rain had started, and she'd quickly took off to check if the idiot had gone into the TARDIS. Though, she doubted he'd come back without telling her, there was a good chance that he had entered while she had been out looking for him.

She felt terrible now though, her heart pounding loudly in her chest. If she hadn't let him storm off, none of this would have happened. He wouldn't be lost, possibly even dead somewhere because she was too stupid to simply run after him. No, instead, she'd assumed he'd come back later in the night, possibly feeling better. She'd expected a sorry and a hug, and they'd go to sleep in leave in the morning. Like humans. Only, the Doctor wasn't human. Very rarely, she forgot that. But why did she have to have forgotten then?

Without thinking, Donna flung the doors of the TARDIS open, and almost immediately wished she hadn't. The Doctor was curled up on the cold flooring; his eyes squeezed shut and teeth chattering. His breathing looked slow and painful, being drawn out of him as if he was forcing it out. He was shaking as though his life depended on it, and the room smelled slightly of sweat and rainwater. His hands were wrapped around his side, fingers digging into the brown pinstriped suit. The colour had been drained from his skin, which was wet, along with the suit, suggesting he'd only just entered the TARDIS and collapsed on the floor.

"Oh, Spaceman." Donna gasped, darting forward towards the Doctor. "You are _not _alright!"

**A/N: Yep, this took longer than I had hoped, as I got a bit of writers block, but I finally managed to put it down in words... sorry if it was a bit... crappy, or rushed. :P**


	6. 2

**A/N: It got a little rushed in the middle, as you may be able to tell, but I tried to slow down a little. I do not own Katy (Give Me a Shot) by The Scene Aesthetic. :3 Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter despite the rushed bit. ^_^ Oh, and I wasn't able to check it over, so I'll do that a bit later.**

"Leave it to you," Donna hissed, tears streaking her cheeks as the Doctor groaned in pain with each tug towards the Med Bay. " to not tell someone when you're dying." He didn't answer. Of course he didn't answer, how could he? His whole body had gone limp as soon as she'd tried to lift him to his feet. She was half dragging, and half carrying him to the Med Bay. She gave another tug, and almost dropped him and he screamed, clenching his teeth, his breathing suddenly increasing in pace until he was coughing and hacking, violent shudders passing through his body. He whimpered, and to Donna's surprise, opened his eyes halfway. She'd expected to see the familiar, deep brown eyes. Instead, she let out a horrified gasp. His eyes were glazed over with a milky look where the black should have been. The brown had been replaced with a dark, evil looking blood red. It took all she had not to scream and drop him.

Instead, she held her breath, watching his eyes flicker sideways, and then down. He paused, letting out another cough, and his eyes rolled into the back of his head. She glanced sideways, silently thanking the TARDIS for moving the Med Bay closer to the console room.

Scrambling inside, the Doctor still in her arms, she heaved him up on the stretcher, staring at him. He looked terrible, completely unlike the Doctor she knew. Sweat made his hair stick to his forehead. She stared at his chest, holding her breath, concentrating. _Yes_. He was breathing. Just barely, but sure enough, there was the rise and fall of his chest. She shivered at the way he tried to way he tried to retract in a ball again, but ended up in another coughing fit.

"Oh, come on Spaceman," she choked, her head spinning in disbelief. Her breathing was ragged, her body feeling dead. "You can't die now. What's wrong? _Please_… Doctor, please. What's wrong?" She ran her hands over her face, shaking her head. "Please…" She said again.

She jumped as the lights around her dimmed, displaying a straight line down the hall. She frowned, looking up at the ceiling. "I can't leave him alone." She protested, glancing at the Doctor who seemed to be getting worse every second. His body had started shaking again, his teeth gritted against the pain. A warm puff of air curled around Donna. The TARDIS hummed; a protest, like She thought Donna needed to leave.

"Can you treat him?"

The warm air was replaced by an icy cold breeze, which Donna took as a no. "I can't just leave him! If he dies, I'll never forgive myself for not having realised he was ill. And dear God, I hope he doesn't ever find out I said this, I love the idiot to death." She sighed, and quickly, almost reluctantly (though she'd never admit it), added, "But not like that."

To anyone but herself and the Doctor, she would have sounded mad, like she was talking to herself. But she wouldn't have cared anyway. She tensed as the TARDIS groaned, urging her forwards down the corridor. She glanced at the Doctor, biting her lip. "I can't…" She trailed off uncertainly as a comforting feeling washed over her. The TARDIS's doing, but the feeling gradually calmed her down. "Promise he won't go and die on me?"

The TARDIS hummed, the lights flickering impatiently. With a sigh, Donna stumbled down the corridor, following the trail of lights the TARDIS had set up. She ended up in the kitchen, and let out a growl. "You brought me to the kitchen! I'm not hungry, I need to help the Doctor!"

She turned to stomp out, but jumped back as the TARDIS turned the lights off completely in every visible room besides the kitchen. Huffing, Donna turned around, examining the kitchen. Everything looked the same. The cherry wood table a few feet from the counters, the fridge and cupboards in place. "What is it?" She whispered, taking a step forward. "What do I need to get?" She scanned the room again, only this time, her eyes settled on the counter. A small bottle, a pill bottle, was lying on the counter. Just the bottle. She hurried forward, snatching it up and reading the label aloud.

"Geneeskunde?" Donna laughed dryly at the word, shaking her head. "And its not gonna like, kill him, yeah?"

The TARDIS hummed, flickering the lights back. Nodding, Donna raced back to the Doctor, flinching as she saw him curled into a ball, hacking and spitting blood from his mouth, colour drained from his skin and his hair sticky wet with sweat. Tears streaked his cheeks, which Donna realised, where the only coloured part of him, a very deep red that made her freeze for a second, her mind going into panic. He was breathing so fast, shuddering so violently with each cough.

Forcing herself forward, she stopped by the stretcher, staring at him. "How the hell is he meant to eat this?" She finally gasped, tears spilling over her eyes-lids at the terrible sight. The TARDIS didn't reply. No warm or cold air, no hum, no flickering lights. Nothing. With a sigh, she leaned down, taking out one of the pills, or trying anyway. She glanced down at the bottle, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. They were tiny specks, no bigger than dust. They were black, making them only slightly easier to see.

"All right, how is he meant eat something this small?" She sighed. The TARDIS replied this time, something of an amused chuckle. Donna frowned in confusion, studying the specks, and then the Doctor. Realisation dawned on her, and she gasped, her jaw dropping. "_No way_!" She protested, shaking her head quickly. Her heart felt heavy, and almost as if it was crumbling at the sight of the Doctor. She whimpered, gritting her teeth. There wasn't a way on Earth she was _kissing_ the Doctor while his mouth was filled with blood.

"Come, on there has got to be another way to give him the bloody pills!"

At first, the TARDIS was quite. The only sound in the room was the coughing and choking. Finally, after was seemed like days, the lights to the mini fridge next to the drawers flickered on. Frowning, Donna stumbled forward, throwing the door open and examining what it held. Blood, she realised, her stomach flipping. The packages were labeled with the species the red liquid belonged to. But what could possible help in here? Certainly not human blood, as that wouldn't really have an effect on a Time Lord, as much as Donna knew. She scanned the rest of the bags, her heart racing each time the Doctor coughed.

Finally, she saw what the TARDIS wanted her to get, but she didn't quiet understand. At the base of the fridge, nudged into a slit in the wall, was another package. Slowly and carefully, she edged it out, and almost instantly dropped it.

It looked like normal blood when she wasn't touching it. The same, dark red colour as a human's blood. But when it had been held in her hands, there had been a yellow tint to it, a glow that reminded her of something she couldn't quite place. It had seeped from a hole at the top of the package, curling around Donna like the fog.

She stared uncertainly at the package until the TARDIS nudged her mind impatiently. Rushing to the counters, she grabbed a bowel and spoon from below and poured half the blood into the bowel. She still wasn't entirely sure to what species the blood belonged to, but the TARDIS seemed oddly insistent that it would help. Donna opened the bottle, about to pour it in, but paused.

"How much am I supposed to put in?" She panicked, the bottle hovering over the deep red liquid. Donna gasped as a warm blast of air hit her hard, her hair puffing forward, the ends dripping into the blood. She jerked her head back in disgust, glaring at the ceiling.

"Oi!" She spat, gritting her teeth. She glanced down at the bowel to see that the bottle had landed inside of it, the tiny pills inside. With a sigh and a groan, she took out the bottle and tossed it in the trashcan.

"What else? What else do I add?" She asked, staring at the counter. Her heart was beating faster than it should be, her heart aching with the thought of losing her best friend. The Doctor was probably the only man in the universe who could make her smile, while actually enjoying her company. He put up with her ranting and her attitude. And so far, he was the only man who actually made her happy. If she lost him, she knew her heart would shatter, and slowly, but noticeably, she'd start to die on the inside. She whimpered at the thought, burying her face in her hands.

The TARDIS nudged at her mind, encouraging her. Taking a deep breath, Donna looked up, frowning. The TARDIS had swung open the cabinet above, which was lined with pills and other medicine. One of the bottles had been knocked over. She didn't recognize the name, but it was obvious she needed to use it. Pouring the bottle (which happened to contain a liquid with high viscosity, much to Donna's annoyance), she grabbed the spoon and mixed it together.

"This is disgusting…" She muttered under her breath, before turning to look at the Doctor. Donna almost dropped the bowel, and her heart stopped beating. He was lying on his back, his eyes halfway open. Normally, Donna would take this as a good sign, maybe he was a conscious. Except for the fact that burned into her stomach, her thoughts clouding with fear. His chest wasn't moving. He wasn't breathing She stumbled forward, her cheeks wet with tears. He couldn't be dead. He couldn't. He was the Doctor. He was the man that kept her running, kept her heart beating. She set down the bowel, lowering her ear to the Doctor's mouth. She could smell the blood on his breath, hot and sticky. She winced, as she didn't feel his breath on her cheek. With shaking hands, she placed her hands on both sides of her heart, her breath catching in her throat at the lack of heartbeats. She glanced at his half open eyes. They were still the same milky white and red, but they had been glazed over with a look that made her shiver.

"You're not getting rid of me _that_ easily!" Donna hissed, whirling around. She threw open the nearby cupboard, and snatched out the alien, light weight defibrillator, which was hooked up and all. "But I don't know what to do." She added with a groan. She whirled around, trying to keep back the tears. Placing one of the paddles on his cheat. She examining it, she pressed the big red button. She'd seen people use defibrillators in movies. But this was alien. It didn't make all that much noise, and there wasn't so much as a puff of air on Donna's side. Instantly, the Doctor's eyes snapped open fully, and he took gulp of air, which just ended up as another coughing fit. Donna took her chance as she saw his mouth was open, snatched the bowel, and shoved the spoon into his mouth. He looked ready to spit it out. Donna covered his bloody mouth with her hand, gritting her teeth sadly as she watched him be forced to smile, pain glazing over his eyes as the liquid dribbled down his sore throat.

After about five minutes, he stopped moving again. Not dead, he was breathing. But he was coughing only slightly, shivering. He kept trying to curl into a ball, Donna noticed, though what that was about confused her. Finally, she walked back over to him, brushing the hair out of his face. He didn't move at her touch, didn't even open his eyes. But somehow, Donna knew that the Doctor knew what was wrong and what Donna had done. She reached for the bowel again, but stopped mid way as a cold breeze blew over her.

"No?" She asked with a frown. Donna jumped as the cabinet door swung open again, and another pill bottle fell out. Stumbling towards it, and popped it open, examining it. "It looks like aspirin…" She commented aloud. "Aspirin's bad, yeah?"

_Then again_… Donna thought, looking it over. The pills were slightly bigger than an aspirin, and as she studied them more closely, they seemed to be giving off a bit of a green glow. If you looked closely, there were small black specks on the white pills. Slowly, almost nervously, she studied the Doctor, making sure he was still breathing. Whatever had been in the mixture the TARDIS had helped put together, it was certainly helping. He seemed to be breathing normally, despite the coughing fits that continued to happen every once in a while. Every time, it had Donna on edge, holding her breath.

"Oi, Spaceman?"

The Doctor didn't move from his position, didn't open his eyes. Donna winced, but moved closer, looking down at the pill again. "Oi, Spaceman. I've got a pill for 'ya."

He didn't answer. Well, of course he didn't. But the lack of response still left a hole in her heart. Uncertainly, she pulled up a chair tilting her head as she tried to figure out how she was meant to get it in his mouth.

The Doctor coughed, his mouth dropping open with the force. Nervously, she popped the pill into his mouth, getting ready to have to help him choke it back up. Instead, he swallowed it with ease. She tensed as his eyes fluttered open, expecting to see the cloudy, deep red eyes. But when he opened them, she could see the edges of brown, despite how large his pupils were.

"Doctor…?" She started nervously. He groaned, holding his stomach, squeezing his eyes shut. "Oi, you OK?"

She sighed, leaning back in the chair and closing her eyes. "You know what I really hate…" Donna's eyes snapped open in shock. The Doctor hadn't exactly moved from his position. He was gritting his teeth, eyes still squeezed shut. "When people ask you if you're OK…."

One of his eyes popped open. The simple task seemed to cause him pain, and he tensed again. "When you're very clearly not…"

This time, Donna jumped from her seat, eyes wide in surprise. The Doctor didn't look at her. Probably with shame, she realised. He hadn't told her he was sick, even though she had started to suspect. He probably thought she felt as though he didn't trust her.

Donna kneeled by the bed, forcing a smile. She glanced over at the bowel of blood that was still sitting there. The blood seemed to have dried up slightly, but it was still in a sort of liquid form. The Doctor didn't seem to be all that much better. In fact, he seemed to be getting worse. The warm breeze from the TARDIS proved her thoughts right, and she snatched the bowel with a grin. After all, how many people got to feed the Doctor?

"Open." She ordered. The Doctors other eye opened, and he glanced at what she was holding, looking disgusted. "Now."

He shook his head, wiggling away, his eyes flashing with pain. "No." He groaned, erupting into a coughing fit. Donna smirked. She seemed to be getting lucky today, what with his constant coughing fits. She shoved the spoon into his mouth, making his choke, but swallow obediently.

"Ahh, that's disgusting!" He coughed, wrinkling his nose.

Donna smiled. "Yeah, but its gotta' be helping. You're are talking again, after all." The Doctor just groaned, shaking his head in disgust.

"But how do I help? What else do you need?" She asked, wincing he whimpered in pain. God, how she hated this. Seeing the Doctor in pain honestly scared her. It was a sight she hoped she wouldn't have to see again.

"Donna," he sniffed, taking a deep breath as he tried to concentrate. " Temporary help."

"What?"

He took in another deep breath. "The drugs, the medicine, are just temporary."

Donna shook her head slowly. "Then tell me what isn't!"

He didn't answer, looking down at the ground. Donna froze, shaking her head in disbelief. "No," she spat sternly, taking the Doctor by surprise. " You survived that… what was it? Sparkling cyanide? You're not gonna die from…" She trailed off, holding the Doctors gaze. Beneath the pain that was terribly visible, she could see how much it hurt mentally to know what he knew.

"There isn't a cure…" he admitted, gritting his teeth and shuddering violently. He drew in a sharp breath. "Unless…"

"Unless…" Donna frowned, biting her lower lip in an attempt to keep it from trembling. Her heart was pounding in her ears, her body numb. Her mouth felt dry. A drink of water would be nice. Though, Donna knew it wasn't the lack of hydration that was making her mouth dry. It was the thought of losing her best friend. The image of him shivering on the stretcher with those blood red eyes never left her head.

Another deep breath and a flash of pain in his eyes. "There's this room…" The Doctor trailed off, frowning. "This… room…" He closed his eyes, trying to even out his breath. "Can't think." He hissed, curling into a ball.

"Oi!" Donna spat, uncurling him and wincing each time he whimpered against the pain. "Tell me, what room!"

"There's this room, Donna. Near yours."

"Yeah, all right? What's in there?"

"Big, golden frame. There's a shot."

"What, like a medical shot? A flu shot?"

The Doctor nodded absently, his breathing slowing. Donna gritted her teeth and stumbled out the door, glaring around the corridor. The TARDIS had kindly moved the door closer, lighting to way towards it.

She made her way inside, flicking the light switch on. The room lit up, the brightness of it blinding her for a second. "Where is it?" She asked the TARDIS, scanning the room. It was smaller than most, maybe a bit smaller than a medium sized bathroom. The walls were a brilliant shade of green, matched by a fluffy, black, lime green rug. There wasn't really anything exciting about it. It was hot and clammy, and the about half the light bulbs in the room needed replacing. Donna flew to the glass cabinet that sat the back of the room, throwing it open. She opened drawers, lifted flaps, and tossed out the pieces of papers. She yelled out an angry cry, resting her head in her hands.

"Where is it? Please, just…" Donna whimpered. The TARDIS hummed in encouragement. With a long, pitiful sigh, she rested her hands at her side, her jaw dropping.

"You _are _kidding me?"

Growling in frustration, she snatched the small shot and sprinted back to the Doctor, pausing as she reached the Med Bay to read the label on the container.

"Hold on," she said aloud, frowning. "this is a virus. Doctor, this is only going to make you worse… Doctor?"

She looked up to see he was staring at the ceiling. She froze, until she realised he was still breathing. Donna hurried towards him, her eyes wide with dread. His head turned to face her as she approached, much to her relief. He glanced at the shot in her hands and smiled slightly.

"Give me a shot." He said, staring at the object in her hands. Donna shook her head slowly.

"But this is a virus, its going to make you worse."

"Give me a shot." He repeated.

"Doctor, this _will_ kill you!"

"And hold out for love!"

"Excuse me?"

The Doctor hummed something, his eyes half closed, then started talking again. "'Cause I could love you better, Oh, and he would love you never, Oh, let's make our way together, Give me a shot."

"_What_!" Donna shrieked, glaring at him as he opened his mouth again.

"'Cause everything you've ever wanted, Could be yours if you'd just… Give me a shot… Give me a shot."

"_Spaceman!_" Donna shrieked. He blinked at her, giving her a small, pained smile.

"Why, hello there Miss. Noble. You've got the shot?"

Donna rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Yeah, I do. But it's a virus."

The Doctor nodded, returning her eye roll as if it was that obvious. "Really? I hadn't noticed."

"But you can't have this," Donna protested. "It'll kill you stone dead!"

The Doctor nodded in agreement. "It might, yes."

Donna stared at him in disbelief. Was he trying to commit suicide or something? "But… you can't… I'm not giving you it."

He smiled turned into an angry frowned, his eyes blazing in pain and anger. He coughed, screwing up his nose. "Donna. Give me _the_ shot. Now."

"No!" She spat. The Doctor looked at if he was about to reach up and just take it, but as soon as he tried to sit up, he howled in pain, collapsing on the stretcher. A tear streaked his cheek, his breathing becoming uneven again.

"_Ah, _just _do it_!" He cried, his body shaking again. He whimpered, his lower lip trembling Donna. "Listen," he croaked. " Yes. It's a virus. Yeah, it could kill me. But Donna, it could save my life." He groaned, his eyes shutting tight. Donna opened her mouth to protest, but he cut in. "I'm going to die anyway, if I don't try. Why not make it quicker?"

Her heart dropped at the words, tears springing into her eyes. She knew the truth behind the words, but… to kill her best friend. Her stomach flipped, and she stared at the ground. But, Donna realised, according to him he was going to die if she didn't.

Donna looked down at the shot, uncurling her hand. She clicked her tongue slowly, her doubt wavering. If there was any way to save him, she knew she had to try at least. She grabbed his arm, seeing the look of surprise cross his face. "Make a fist." She snapped crossly. He did a told, watching her expectantly. She brought the shot up, pausing. "Is it gonna' hurt you? Will it affect you fast?"

He nodded weakly. "Very fast. But, nah, you're just shoving a giant needle into my arm. How could it possibly hurt?"

"I mean the virus." She snapped. The Doctor shook his head, nodding at the shot. Holding her breath, and copying how the nurses did so to her, she gently eased the shot into the Doctors arm.

**A/N: God. I feel so terrible. D: I'm sorry Doctor! Heh. Also, yeah... I didn't know what the tube... thing shots are in are called... or if they're just called shots. (Which is pretty sad, because my mum takes peoples blood as a job at the clinic...)**


	7. 1

Donna leapt back in shock as a look of pain crossed his face, and he let out a cry. A cry as if he was in terrible pain. _Liar…._ She thought, tears welling in her eyes and she started shivering again. He was gasping as if he couldn't breath, his whole body tensed, jaw clenched and eyes shut tight, tears spilling from the corners. Donna hands flew to her ears, her own sobs mixed in with the Doctors. She didn't want to hear this. She didn't want to hear his agonized screams. She whimpered, her heart shattering as she continued to hear him crying.

The worst part was, she still felt as though he didn't trust her. He hadn't told her when he was sick with some kind of disease or virus, and now he'd lied to her, saying it wasn't going to hurt him. But there he was, sobbing in the stretcher, shuddering and twitching, eyes shut tight as if they'd just been burned. His arms were wrapped around his waist, digging quite violently into his sides as if it would help. His face was red, from what Donna could see, but his head was mostly pointed at his knees, which he'd drawn up to his chest.

She knew very well why he had lied to her. If he hadn't, if he'd said that it would hurt, she would have refused to give him the virus, but it still hurt to know he'd lied to her. It seemed to Donna that his screams only grew louder with each passing second. She wanted to leave the room, to hid in her own or curl up in the Doctors bed and forget about it. She wanted this all be a dream, a nightmare. Her wiped her cheeks with one hand, not wanting to show that she'd been crying if the Doctor actually lived. _If._ The word made her shiver and cry all over again.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, the screams quieted to a low whimpering. They to, however, stopped eventually. Donna didn't move from the wall. She didn't remove her hands or open her eyes. She didn't want to see him. She didn't want to know if he was still breathing.

Slowly, trembling she lowered her hands and opened her eyes, her heart beat irregular. The Doctor was sitting normally on the bed. She didn't look to see if he was breathing. The thought that he wasn't scared her only too much. She wiped a tear from her cheek, and edged forward slowly, still not daring to look at his chest.

"Doctor?" She croaked, eyes watering. "Are you… OK?" Donna would have chosen better wording, but she couldn't think of anything else to say. She winced, as she received no answer, her thoughts scattering as she sprinted forward. His eyes were closed, and he was still. Donna studied the Doctors chest, willing it to move. For a few seconds, she saw nothing. No rise and fall. But then, just the tiniest of movement, and an incredibly quite groan from the Doctor, and Donna flung her arms around his waist, sobbing. She heard him take a sharp breath at her sudden movement, but still, he didn't move.

"Don't you ever do that again, you hear me? Don't lie. Ever. Please."

The Doctor grunted in reply, which sounded more like a strangled whimper. Donna sighed, relaxing into his warmth. She frowned, not wanting to move. "You have a fever…" She reminded herself aloud, dragging herself to her feet. "Stay." She commanded. The Doctor obeyed, not even opening his eyes to watch her. Opening the second mini fridge, she took out a cold cloth and soaked it in cold water, rinsed it out, and laid it over his forehead. She saw him wince as the cold cloth touched his boiling skin, but otherwise, he still didn't move.

Pulling herself up into the chair, Donna rested her head against the back, closing her eyes, and drifted to sleep.

XXX

The pitter-pattering of feet woke Donna up. She didn't open her eyes, listening cautiously to the noise. She honestly couldn't remember all that much at the moment, besides the fact that the Doctor and her had been stuck on an island for almost a week. Her head was pounding and her feet felt numb, but she knew she was inside the TARDIS. The familiar hum was buzzing lively, almost happily inside the room. The smell of what Donna presumed to be pancakes and bacon wafted into the room, and she slowly opened her eyes.

She frowned as she realised where she was. And then, she remembered. Waves of pain crashed down on her as she remembered the previous night. Remembered the Doctor curled up on the floor of the TARDIS, dying. Remembered having to drag him to the Med Bay and lay him on the stretcher, having to force him to drink drugged blood. Her eyes flickered to the stretcher, and she nearly fell out of her seat in shock. There was a tray of food piled on the covers. Bacon, Pancakes, Toast and Nutella, a banana (no wonder), apples, and many more of Donna's favorite foods.

"He's trying to fatten me up." She gasped, shaking her head in disbelief. A small chuckled emitted from the doorway. Donna smiled, staring at the man. He was leaning against the doorway, hands in his pockets and a thin smile stretched across his lips. He'd changed and was now wearing his blue suit, his large brown over-coat, and something that looked similar to a fez.

"What are you wearing?" Was the first thing she managed to gasp. Slowly, he nodded, as if her question needed considering. He looked tired and there was no denying the look of guilt that shone in his eyes.

"It's a fez. Found it in the cupboard. Could use a few stitches. Can you stitch? I think you'd be brilliant at it…" He said, obviously trying to get off topic.

Donna frowned, shaking her head. She stood up, holding her breath. "You're… still alive. Still you?"

The Doctor smiled, the guilt in his eyes growing. "Still alive." He agreed, watching as Donna edged up to him. Donna nodded, not sure what to do. Then, fast as she could manage, she raised her arm and _slapped_ him. He stumbled away form the doorframe, a hand on his cheek, which was already turning red.

"Ow! What was that for?" He whined, rubbing his sore cheek with his hand. Donna rolled her eyes, but didn't answer. Instead, Donna wrapped her arms around him, burying her head in his chest, trying to keep tears from spilling. She felt him tense at the movement, and knew he was still in pain. Donna tried to pull back, afraid of hurting him more, but he enveloped her in another hug, pressing a kiss to her hair. He closed his eyes, sighing.

"Don't do that again, yeah?"

He didn't reply as far as a nod. Finally, he reluctantly let go of her, but grabbed her hand almost as soon as he let go. Donna smiled sympathetically, tightening the hold. The next few minutes were just silence. Not so much as an awkward silence, but one in which the two of them were exchanging silent words. Silent promises. Donna finally broke the silence, starting with a heavy, relieved sigh.

"I bet you're hungry, Spaceman. Banana?" She suggested. The Doctor grinned, shoving his other hand in his pocket.

"Why, yes. A banana would be nice. And, perhaps a glass of water?"

Donna nodded in agreement. The Doctor started to turn around, but Donna gave a firm tug, making him stumble with a frown. "What?" He asked, clearly confused by the anger and annoyance that flashed in her eyes.

"You never told me what was wrong." She accused him. The Doctor was silent, staring at her with his big, guilty, brown eyes. "Well, spit it out!"

"It was just a virus."

"Don't say that. You know it wasn't."

He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "It _was _a virus. He argued, shaking his head. "Or a disease, anyway. A Gallifreyan disease. Not harmless, obviously. Must have been hiding on the TARDIS for centuries, thought it could hope on for a ride last time I was at…" He trailed off, wincing. Donna nodded, sucking in a deep breath.

"You must be hungry. Banana?" She asked, grinning. The Doctor's face lit up, returning the grin. He nodded quickly, practically dragging her back inside the Med Bay to eat.

XXX

Donna shivered under the covers of the blanket, the hum of the TARDIS bouncing off the walls. It felt unusually lonely without the sound of the Doctor breathing; yet she knew she would get over it eventually. After the two had shared the large meal he'd cooked (well, bought), Donna had sent him to bed, taken a shower, said good night, and leapt into her own bed, hoping for warmth which she didn't seem to be finding. The pillow was soaked due to her laziness. She hadn't wanted to dry her hair, but instead to just sleep.

The room was extremely quiet, and it made her heart ache. Just faintly, she could hear the fake wind blowing, meant to make her feel more at home while she adjusted to life on the TARDIS. Of course, it had been a while since then, but the Doctor had asked if she just wanted to keep it there, probably not wanting to go through the effort of removing the unnatural sound. Obviously, she'd agreed, wanting to feel closer to her granddad.

Donna froze under the covers as she heard the door creak open, soft footsteps thudding across the baby blue carpeting. The breathing was nervous, as though it wasn't entirely sure if whatever it was doing was such a good idea.

"Donna?" The Doctor's voice came out as a pitiful whimper, filled with what sounded similar to fear and sadness. She smiled a bit, leaning up in the bed. The Doctor's eyes seemed to glow in the darkness, sparkling with some emotion, but more pain than Donna wanted to see. He was wearing his pajama's- a set with stars, plants, and the Milky Way scattered across it, glowing colourfully in the dark. His hair was a mess, suggesting he'd been tossing and turning in bed for several hours, unable to sleep like Donna.

"Yeah?" She asked, her voice flooded with sympathy for the way his voice cracked with pain each time he spoke or moved.

"Could I…?" He trailed off, sounding nervous. She could hear his feet shuffling on the flooring, his breathing increasing as if he was expecting her to sit up in bed and slap him across the face. Maybe, on a different occasion, maybe when she had first moved in, that's what she would have done. But now, her thoughts ran differently.

"'Course, Spaceman." She whispered into the dark, shuffling over in the bed and raising the covers. He scampered across the floor, practically jumping in the bed and snuggling under the questions, letting out a grateful hum, which sounded like a purr. Donna turned to look at him, one arm propping her up.

"Good night." She whispered, smiling. He muttered his reply after she ruffled his hair affectionately. Lying back down, she couldn't help but giggle. After all, he _had_ just given her something to tease him about.

** A/N: The end! :3 Hehe, well, maybe. Might have a very short sequel thing one day, but for now, this is indeed the end. Yeah, I know, he had a quick recovery. But I didn't want to make it too long, and I know it gets a bit boring when it's just the companion pacing around the TARDIS or wherever they are for like, two chapters, so I was just like: all right, Donna injects the virus with the syringe (Thank you ChelGallifreya221B613! 8D), the Doctor has some spasm… thing, and passes out for a while, Doctor wakes up and Donna's asleep, Doctor does some cute little thing to say he's sorry, all's well. **

** And because I couldn't quite fit it in anywhere, I'll explain how the virus saved the Doctor's life, in my mind. So, white blood cells kill viruses. Common sense, I hope. :P The white blood cells in the Doctor's body weren't strong enough to kill whatever Gallifreyan virus he had. But when Donna injected the other virus, it sort of… strengthened the white blood cells… oooh, like Pokemon! The white blood cells leveled up! (God, terrible example, I know._. ) Errr, don't ask me how they leveled up. They just did. Cos' he's a Time Lord, and a Time Lord's white blood cells are awesome. If its stated in the Classics that the Doctor doesn't have white blood cells… oops. :3**

** Also, just a quick shout-out to theTimeLord1. (: She made me feel more confident when I felt as though the chapters were a bit crappy. ^_^**

** Well, I think that's all… I really hoped you enjoyed it! :D On a few side notes, actually, I didn't really have time to check it over, so if there a bunch of spelling mistakes... my bad. D: If I do write the short sequel thing (one or two chapters), it'll be in a while. I feel terrible for my long gaps in updates on Lost Memories, and I still have got to get around to finishing Frozen. I don't think I left anything out here... if I did, I'll get around to updating that. :3**


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